confused about newborn sizes

For the first weeks and months, what essential clothes do you need?

And what size do you get? 0-3 looks so big to me for a newborn.

Re: confused about newborn sizes

It will depend a lot on the size your baby is when it is born. With my DS, I had mostly 0-3 mos clothes b/c that is what everyone said to get. He was born under 7lbs so these clothes were all swimming on him! NB size (newborn) fit him best the early weeks - this time I am stocking up on more NB clothes. HTH!

ETA: didn't answer the first part of your q - sorry!

What I would stock up on is undershirts - the side snap ones for the first few weeks and then the full body onesies - and lots of outfits that either snap up or tie on the side - in the early weeks those are much easier than the ones that you have to pull over their heads! Also, little hats and those non-scratch mitts, some receiving blankets and if it's the winter a sleep sack. HTH!

Message edited 12/22/2009 6:48:18 PM.

Re: confused about newborn sizes

Theyre estimating to be about 6lbs at birth. I know they could be off but I think he's still gonna be under 8lbs which is the newborn cutoff. I just bought a few more outfits and onesies and pajamas for the first few weeks. Everything from the shower I got was mostly 3-6 mos and bigger. I think I do have enough now, hopefully!

Re: confused about newborn sizes

my daughter didn't fit into 0-3 month clothes until she was 6-8 weeks old. (She was 7lbs 7oz when she was born, and dropped to about 6lbs 14 oz in the hospital--i was EBF). She didn't wear 0-3 for long--she outgrew them before 3 months.

For the first few weeks, I loved side snap tees/onesies, with mitten cuffs (she scratched her face easily and the separate mittens always fell off--i loved mitten cuffs for awhile for this) and sleep and plays. (Also used swaddle mes). Wasnt a fan of regular onesies--too hard to get over her head when she was really little, and not easy/fun to pull over her head when she had diaper explosions (which happened frequently enought as a newborn), especially in the middle of the night.

Re: confused about newborn sizes

can someone do me a favor and measure the width across around the belly on your newborn clothes?

I have a little t-shirt, that's newborn-3months ... does that mean it will fit newborn? (it measures about 8" across at belly is that right?)

Message edited 12/22/2009 7:18:18 PM.

Re: confused about newborn sizes

really each baby is different... ds was in newborn sizes for a week, 0-3 for two weeks, 3-6 for three weeks... by the time he was 3 months old he was in 12-18 month clothing... looking at all the clothes i took out i have a ton, but my mentality is that it is beter to have more so that you do not have to do as much laundry in the beginning

also be careful with certain brands... gerber stuff runs EXTREMELY small.... when i just rewashed all the onsies for this baby i actually put the gerber stuff in with the size below so is it is a 0-3 month onsie i considered it newborn size, gerber 3-6 i consider a 0-3 in anything else

Re: confused about newborn sizes

DD was 8.7lbs and fit into newborn for about a month. 0-3 swam on her.

Re: confused about newborn sizes

My first was 7lbs 6oz and wore NB sizes for at least the first 3 weeks. My second was 8lbs 1oz and never wore the NB sizes.

Gerber brand onsies are AWFUL as they run small and they shrink. I always liked Carters brands for all things baby.

Re: confused about newborn sizes

it depends on your child. DD was born at 6 lbs. and wore premie or I let newborn swim on her for a week or so. Then, she wore newborn size for almost 10 weeks. She is still a string bean now and stays in sizes forever!

Re: confused about newborn sizes

IMO, the sizes are much more about the length than the weight. DS was 8 lbs 1 oz at birth, but was on the shorter side. He wore newborn clothes for about 5 weeks. He has always fit into clothes when he was past the weight limit.

I also agree with PPs about Gerber. They run very small. I found Carters to run slightly big. I think the quality is also much better than Gerber.

I had a ton of onesies and side snap shirts. DS was born in December so he wore long sleeve onesies underneath his outfits. In the beginning, he mainly wore footed sleep and play outfits.